Children of Sinti and Roma families are frequently exposed to resentment and discrimination by their teachers and schoolmates.  The project “Moments of Reflection” by the Association of German Sinti and Roma in Baden-Württemberg offers workshops to inform students and teachers about antiziganism and the living conditions of Sinti and Roma.  Moreover, the project wants to strengthen the self-confidence of Sinti and Roma students.


Roughly 3.500 Sinti and Roma live in the Rhine-Neckar region, i.e. the city of Mannheim and the surrounding area.  In order to eliminate prejudices and to find new ways of mutual understanding, the Association of German Sinti and Roma in Baden-Württemberg is providing a new project at schools in Mannheim.  The core idea: Pupils and teachers should be made aware of the living conditions of the local Sinti and Roma and get rid of outdated stereotypes.

Sinti and Roma are exposed to discrimination and exclusion every day.  At the introduction ceremony of the project in the cultural center “RomnoKher” in Mannheim, the local SPD delegate Helen Heberer presented a disturbing fact: Surveys conducted by the Berlin-based Centre for Research on Antisemitism and several social research institutes found that more than 60% of the German population wouldn’t want their next-door neighbor to be a Sinti or Roma!  This shows just how deep-rooted the prejudice against Sinti and Roma (many still call them “gypsies”) are even today.

Historic parallels between antiziganism and antisemitism

Sinti and Roma have been living in almost all European countries for at least five centuries.  In the 18th century linguists were able to show the relation of Sanskrit and the minority language Romanes, which proved that the Sinti and Roma originally come from North India.  Even though there is evidence for a peaceful coexistence of this minority group and the majority of the population in the middle ages and the modern era, nevertheless many stereotypes and prejudice against Sinti and Roma developed during the past centuries.  These stereotypes were later used by the Nazis in their propaganda.  In the Third Reich 500.000 Sinti and Roma were murdered by the Nazis.  This is only one of the parallels between the history of the prosecution of Sinti and Roma and the persecution of the European Jews.  Both antisemitism and antiziganism are grounded in ancient enemy images widespread in Christianity.  Whereas the Christian anti-Judaism prosecuted Jews based on the legend that they were the “murderers of Jesus”, “gypsies” were stigmatized as heathens or allies of the devil.  Subsequently both Jews and Sinti and Roma were scapegoats for any kind of drawback in society.

Mixed teams help overcome prejudice

All this suggests that it makes sense to fight the various stereotypes and prejudices collectively: a mixed team made up of a Sinti and Roma representative and a representative of the local Jewish community develops various projects with students, such as discussions on the stereotypes about Sinti and Roma in the media.  The teams give an insight into antiziganist and antisemitic prejudices in everyday life and the similarities and differences between them.  Learning material and new media help the participants to understand that dealing with serious topics can be fun.

Further education for the teaching staff is an important element of the project.  In order to make their pupils aware of discrimination, prejudice and racism, the teachers have to get the necessary background information.  A two-day advanced training course for teachers from all over Germany in the Evangelische Akademie in Bad Boll in Baden-Württemberg proved to be a unique opportunity to gain strength in the work against antiziganism and antisemitism.  Inspiring and informative lectures gave an insight into the living conditions of Sinti, Roma and Jews and caused food for thought about ways to fight racism - in school and in society in general.


Jan Schwab

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